


Invitation

by Ailelie



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 14:33:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30107445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailelie/pseuds/Ailelie
Summary: Fjord starts to see Caleb in a new light and so he and Jester decide to invite Caleb into their relationship.This is a very ficcish not!fic originally stress-written while watching the latest few episodes and then lightly re-written today here and there.
Relationships: Fjord/Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41





	Invitation

It starts one night when Caleb, exhausted, puts up the dome instead of the tower and Fjord has the watch. Near him Caleb is dreaming; he moves as if interacting with something and then says  _ Jester _ with such affection that Fjord is immediately struck. Little things align in his head and he realizes that Caleb likes Jester.

This isn’t a problem. Fjord trusts that he and Jester are solid, but this is knowledge he cannot forget now that he knows.

It doesn’t really come up again until Caleb approaches him a week or so later and says, “You know, if you and Jester want to spend some time together, I could lend you the tower like I did Beau and Yasha.”

“Ah, no, that’s fine. We’re good.”

Caleb shrugs and nods as if that is what he expected and says, “ _ Ja,  _ of course.”

And it is that “of course” that changes Fjord’s mind because he hates that Caleb seems to have given up.

He wonders sometimes how Caleb possibly gave up on Jester without even trying. He knows it is likely because the wizard sees himself so negatively. He doesn’t want to contribute to that.

“Actually,” Fjord says, “if you really don’t mind.”

Caleb’s smile is faint. “I don’t. If you give me notes, I can adjust the tower to--”

“Surprise us,” Fjord interrupts. 

Caleb blinks. “Ah, well, all right then. I can do that.”

The date happens a week later and is perfect. Fjord has trouble seeing it as more than a love letter to Jester, though, even with the faux sea of billowing sheets.

“Thank you, Fjord,” Jester says afterward.

“You’re welcome, but I can’t take all the credit. This was all Caleb’s design.”

Jester’s eyes widen and she turns toward Caleb. “Thank you, Cay-leb,” she says, drawing out his name in a way Fjord has only recently begun noticing.

Caleb pinkens. “It was nothing.”

Fjord frowns. “It was not nothing. Seriously, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

It is another night in the dome and Caleb is dreaming again, but this time his face is contorted in pain. Fjord awakens Veth for the next watch. She frowns down at Caleb. “He does better when someone holds him, but I have the watch--”

“I’ll do it.” Fjord settles down behind Caleb and draws him into his chest. Slowly, Caleb relaxes. 

Fjord, warm and tired from his watch, falls asleep.

When he awakens, he is still holding Caleb and Jester is watching them, her fingers twitching for a pencil. Fjord blushes and stammers to explain, which awakens Caleb who goes red as he pulls away. Jester just laughs and waves all explanations and embarrassment away.

“How frequently do you have nightmares like that?” Fjord asks later.

Caleb looks bitterly down at his arms and hands. “What do you think?”

They all reach an evening of safety and rest. Beau and Yasha go on a date. Veth goes out with her family. Caduceus goes to his room early and Caleb steals a corner table to sit and work.   
  
And Fjord looks at Jester and thinks about going out with her, but instead he says “Do you want to stay here? Bother Caleb?”   
  
Jester glances at the table and says “He does look like he needs company.”   
  
The band in the tavern starts playing and Jester grins. “We should make him dance, but let’s dance you and me first.”   
  
Fjord smiles, relieved for multiple reasons. “All right.” They dance the first three songs before crashing at Caleb’s table.   
  
Then Jester is up and wheedling Caleb into a dance. He doesn’t deny her. Fjord knew he wouldn’t. How could anyone deny Jester? He watches them. Jester flies. Caleb cracks a smile. Fjord moves toward them before he realizes what he is doing.   
  
“Cutting in?” Caleb asks like he expects it and Fjord wants to knock him off kilter, so he says “Yes” and then, turning to Jester asks, “Do you mind?”   
  
Jester beams and steps away with an elaborate bow. “By all means,” she says, gesturing to Caleb. Fjord takes her place in the dance. Caleb’s eyes widen and he laughs in surprise. They finish the dance and the next before Jester cuts back in and reclaims Caleb. They dance and then Fjord and Jester dance again.   
  
Eventually they get tired and collapse together at the corner table.   
  
“That was a lot of fun,” Jester says. “We should do that more often.”   
  
“We are usually running these days,” Caleb notes. “You should have gone out like Beau and Yasha. No reason to–”   
  
“We had fun,” Fjord cuts in. “Are having fun,” he corrects.   
  
“Yeah, Caleb,” Jester says, drawing out Caleb’s name in a way Fjord has only recently started paying attention to. “Are you not having fun?”   
  
“No,” he answers softly, “I am.”   
  
And, in the candle and torch light, Fjord feels content. 

The next time he and Jester are alone they are shopping and it isn’t a date, but every moment spent with Jester feels like a gift. This time, though, part of him is absent.   
  
“You know, Fjord,” Jester says suddenly. “If you have something to tell me, you should just tell me.”   
  
“What?” he asks, surprised. “You still like me, don’t you?” she asks.   
  
Fjord draws back. “Yes, of course I do. Why do you even ask?”   
  
“I knew you do,” Jester says, smiling. “But, Fjord, do you like Caleb, too?”   
  
And the question throws him entirely. “No,” he says automatically, but Jester just gives him an unimpressed look.   
  
“If you say so,” she says, unconvinced.   
  
Fjord is certain in his ‘no’ until he sees Caleb again. His hair has fallen loose from its tie again. His fingertips are stained with ink. He glances up when Fjord and Jester return and nods at them and Fjord thinks  _ shit _ . Because Caleb likes Jester, not Fjord. This is a mess. He can’t like two people at once. Jester apparently reads his thoughts on his face, because she just raises her brow at him and Fjord can feel his face warm with a blush.   
  
“Is everything all right?” Caleb asks. Jester grabs Fjord’s hand and squeezes it.   
  
“Everything is perfect,” she says.   
  
“Is it?” Fjord asks in a low voice.   
  
“It can be,” Jester replies.   
  
Caleb looks between them, clearly at a loss. “All right then.”

Later, when they’re walking, Fjord pulls Jester aside. “What did you mean that everything can be perfect?”

“Oh. Relationships can have more than two people, Fjord,” she says, utterly matter-of-fact. “You should read more books.”

“I suppose I should.” He waits a moment and then asks, “Is that something you want?”

“For you to read more?” Jester asks in a tone of voice that he knows is teasing, but Fjord isn’t in the mood for banter. 

“Caleb.”

“Is that something you want?” Jester asks.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” he admits. He barely has a handle on his attraction to Jester; he isn’t sure what to do with the new feelings Caleb is now inspiring.

“I liked watching you dance together. It was very pretty. And he always goes along with my pranks.” Jester rubs her thumb along the back of Fjord’s hand as she thinks.

“I think he likes you, Jess.”

Her cheeks turn violet. “Well, hm, I guess we could try. We need a good name for our scheme, though.”

“Scheme?” 

“To date Caleb,” she replies, nudging her shoulder against his. 

Ahead of them Caduceus coughs.

“Is that what we’re doing?” 

“I think so. Aren’t we?”

Fjord envisions another evening like the one of dancing and squeezes Jester’s hand. “Yeah. I think so, too.”

The first time they act on their scheme is almost a disaster. Fjord explained to Jester that Caleb has nightmares and that being held apparently helps. It has been a long, stressful day and Caleb has been too quiet. So, once they’re in the mansion, Fjord snags his sleeve and asks, “Are you okay to sleep?”

Caleb looks mystified by the question. “Yes?”

“Are you sure you want to sleep alone?”

Caleb blushes then and pulls his arm free. “I’m fine.”

Fjord glances at Jester who claps her hands once. “I know,” she says, loudly. “Let’s have a sleepover!”

“Jester,” Beau whines, dragging out Jester’s name. “I just want to get to my bed and sleep.”

“Same,” Yasha chimes in. “To my own bed, I mean.”

Beau’s gaze goes speculative at that. “You could join me in mine,” she offers awkwardly.

Fjord turns away and back to Caleb who is frozen in Jester’s hopeful gaze. 

“We do have extra blankets,” he says, beginning to cave. 

Caduceus looks them over and then starts to float upward. “As lovely as that sounds, I could use some time to myself.”

“I’m out, too,” Veth says. She also starts floating up to the rooms. 

“Are you set on this, Jester?” Caleb asks, tired. “It would be a very small sleepover.”

Jester only smiles. “We can all use my bed then.” She grabs Caleb’s wrist. “Come on.”

Caleb looks to Fjord and Fjord smiles in a way he hopes is encouraging. “It could be fun.”

Caleb sighs. “Fine.”

The sleepover is almost to Jester’s standards and is filled with hot chocolate and pastries. Jester shows Fjord how to braid Caleb’s hair and then takes up station behind him, braiding his own. They are tired, though, so that is the extent of the festivities before everyone is yawning deeply. Caleb tries to excuse himself, but Fjord and Jester usher him back into the bedroom where they all collapse into bed and sleep.

Fjord and Jester sleep with Caleb between them and their hands entwined.

In the morning Caleb appears better rested than he has been in a while. 

“Cuddling is fun, isn’t it, Caleb?” Jester asks.

Caleb’s face is flushed red. “Ah,  _ ja _ , yes. Fun.” He leaves quickly.

Jester turns to Fjord. “We need to tell him, I think.”

Fjord agrees. He gives Jester a good morning kiss and then exits her room. 

They don’t get a chance to talk with Caleb alone over the next several days, but they do make an effort to engage him in conversation when they can. 

The opportunity to talk finally arrives one night when it is too dangerous to use the mansion and so they’re in the dome and taking watches. Fjord volunteers to share Caleb’s watch. 

“What is going on?” Caleb asks shortly after their watch has begun and Caduceus is again asleep.

Fjord wishes Jester were awake. She has been the one discussing different approaches over the past few days. In the early hours of the morning, Fjord can only think of one: be blunt. “We like you, Jester and me. We’d like to date you, if you’ll have us.”

Caleb stares at him blankly. “That isn’t a funny joke.”

“It isn’t a joke.”

“You have each other.”

“You can be with more than one person.”

“You know who I am, what I’ve done, who is chasing me--”

“Us. He’s chasing us now. You’re not alone, Caleb. Nothing has to change, but Jester was right, you deserve to know.”

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

“You could say ‘okay.’ I know it’d make Jester happy. Me too.”

“And what does ‘okay’ entail?”

“We figure it out as we go, but you could start by moving closer.”

Caleb doesn’t move and the conversation lapses. Fjord dreads the morning and having to explain to Jester that he screwed it up, but then, before he can say a word to her, Caleb touches his elbow and says “okay.”

  
  



End file.
